With law enforcers and panel judges gaining more experience in the implementation of the Communications & Surveillance Ordinance requirements, the statutory interception and covert surveillance regime has operated more smoothly.

Commissioner on Interception of Communications & Surveillance Woo Kwok-hing made this statement, tabling his first full-year annual report covering 2007 at the Legislative Council today.

The Security Bureau has revised the code of practice to provide clearer operational guidelines to law enforcers to further improve the ordinance's operation.

The commissioner observed there were some instances of non-compliance with the requirements by law enforcers. He accepted these instances were mainly due to inadvertence, or the lack of thorough understanding of or familiarity with relevant requirements.

Law enforcers have implemented the commissioner's recommendations or taken appropriate measures to address the issues identified in the findings.

The Security Bureau will conduct a comprehensive review of the ordinance after the commissioner has submitted his second full-year report.

For issues involving the consideration of possible legislative amendments, the bureau will take account of the commissioner's advice and address them in the comprehensive review of the ordinance.

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